Mary leads the priest to the service

A presença de Maria no culto da Igreja introduz-nos a uma espiritualidade de serviço.

Repete-se várias vezes que “a Igreja é uma Igreja servidora e pobre, que a autoridade é serviço”.

Contudo, a principal tentação do sacerdote ao longo dos tempos talvez tenha sido a de seguir os modelos da sociedade sujeita ao pecado, que vê a autoridade como domínio, em vez do modelo de Cristo que é pastor e servo.

Nota-se uma evolução a esse respeito: na Idade Média, o sacerdote estava totalmente inserido no povo de Deus, a ponto de imitá-lo no vício e na ignorância. Depois do Concílio de Trento recordou-se a dignidade do presbítero e o seu poder, pelo qual o presbítero se torna gradualmente o “reverendo”, ou seja, aquele que deve ser reverenciado, mas mais dificilmente aquele que deve servir.

E, no entanto, precisamente no tempo da Reforma Católica, uniu-se o pensamento da dignidade do sacerdote ao voto de escravidão mariana de todos os membros da Igreja. Aos poucos, porém, esse sentido de serviço foi se perdendo e hoje precisamos recuperá-lo. A Virgem Maria que se destaca entre “os pobres” do Senhor do Antigo Testamento introduz precisamente esta mentalidade de serviço. Duas vezes ela se definiu como a serva do Senhor (Lc 1,38 e 48), aliás, ela é a única mulher no Novo Testamento que é chamada assim.

This service is not something depressing of personality nor deprivation of personality, as it may seem in light of today’s cultural meaning. In Sacred Scripture, *servant of God* means to have the honor of participating in the design of salvation with a particular mission. Precisely for this reason, Mary is the *blessed*: while the curse separates her from the people of God and the inheritance of promises, the blessing of Mary inserts her into the context of salvation history as a collaborator.In *the servant of the Lord*, converge the most important elements of spiritual service: **call** or **election**, **mission**, **response**. Mary is chosen by God at the initiative of His love, so the priest cannot assume his task without the *call of the servant of the Lord*. Just as divine motherhood does not prevent Mary from defining herself as *the servant of the Lord*, so the distinction between laity and ministerial priests does not elevate the latter to a category of rulers (cf. 1 Peter 5:3 *“not acting as dominators over those entrusted to you, but as examples for the flock”*), but designates them to serve the elected faith (cf. Titus 1:1 *“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth, which is in accordance with godliness”*).Above all, Mary indicates to the priest the implications of spiritual service:– absolute availability or need for a total yes to God. – radical poverty of one who knows themselves to be a useless servant, working in the pure goodness of the Lord (cf. Luke 17:10 *“in the same way, when you are done everything that is commanded of you, say, ‘We are useless servants; we have only done what was our duty’”*). – suffering and total self-denial to enter into the interests of the Lord (cf. Luke 12:37 *“blessed are those servants whom the Lord finds watching when he comes! Truly I tell you, he will gird himself, make them stand, and serve them”*; Acts 20:19 *“serve the Lord with all humility and tears, severely tested by plots of the Jews”*). – collaboration or commitment of one’s own resources to the designated service.Divine motherhood appears as a charism, that is, a gift for service, or better, the fundamental service rendered to the Church.To deepen the theme of Mary and priesthood, consult Pope John Paul II’s encyclical *Redemptoris Mater* on Mary as Mother of the Church and model of service.**Deepen your studies:** explore Mariology, Marian Theology, Marian Apparitions, and Postgraduate Studies in Mariology.